The majority of the population of our country firmly believes that during colds, the intake of alcoholic beverages can provide significant help to the body on the road to recovery. But this is a big mistake. Not only won't ethanol help you recover faster, it can cause even more damage. So can you drink alcohol at a temperature during colds? We will have to fully understand this problem.
Ethyl alcohol and colds
The myth that alcohol helps the body cope with colds is based on a warming effect. But it only seems that way, because after entering the bloodstream, ethanol causes vasodilation and this leads to blood flow to the skin. A person feels hot, but such sensations are deceptive, because only the skin is heated, and heat energy is quickly released into the environment and causes heat loss.
It is not recommended to drink alcohol in the cold. The false sensation of heat that emerges is dangerous, the person does not feel the real temperature.
If you drink during a cold, then strangely enough, viruses and bacteria will not spread to the sides, but will continue to exist. Alcohol only negatively affects the functioning of the immune system, weakening the body and preventing it from fighting infections. The systematic intake of alcoholic beverages during an illness will increase the number of pathogenic bacteria, so the course of the illness will only worsen.
But among doctors there is also an opinion that a glass of red wine can be an excellent prevention of colds. Taking into account that many do not know how to drink culturally, it is better not to think about that prevention.
Ethyl alcohol and temperature
An increase in temperature during an illness is not a symptom, but a reaction of the body to an invasion of foreign agents. It is at high rates on the thermometer that the immune system can destroy pathogenic organisms. If the temperature does not exceed 38. 5 degrees, then you should not rush to knock it down, let the body fight and build immunity, but you should not interfere. And alcohol can become that very obstacle.
In any condition, the intake of alcohol is undesirable, but even more so in the presence of temperature. Yes, with readings in the 37-37 range. 5 ° C, this is still not so dangerous, so when you are on a 38 thermometer you do not need to risk your health. Alcohol and temperature are not compatible for the following reasons:
- When the temperature rises, the body suffers from a lack of water, so it is necessary to drink plenty of fluids, and alcohol will only aggravate the situation. Ethanol dehydrates the body even more, complicating the course of the disease.
- During an illness, the body begins to work in emergency mode, the heart rate increases, and if you drink even during this period, the heart experiences tremendous stress. The pulse quickens, blood pressure rises, the entire cardiovascular system is adversely affected by alcohol.
- Drinking alcohol at high temperatures can cause unexpected bodily reactions. At first, it may even decrease a little, but then it will increase even more and cause a deterioration in well-being.
It must always be remembered that not only a cold can be accompanied by a temperature jump, but also more serious diseases. And drinking alcohol with them can be even more dangerous.
Why does alcohol cause a temperature rise?
The fact that alcohol dilates blood vessels is not a secret. But what are the reasons for the increase in temperature when drinking alcohol? Let's try to answer this question:
- Ethanol has dilated blood vessels, which can cause a temperature jump.
- The body in some can perceive alcohol as an allergen and react accordingly with an increase in temperature, skin rashes.
- There are times when there is a congenital intolerance to ethanol, which can also increase the temperature.
- Alcohol intolerance can develop throughout life as a result of certain illnesses or allergic reactions accompanied by a high fever.
- Do not forget that alcoholic beverages can contain various impurities that can cause an allergic reaction with increased temperature.
- Alcohol can cause stomach pain, problems with the gastrointestinal tract appear, which are accompanied by fever.
- Poisoning the body with ethanol and its breakdown products is another likely reason that after drinking alcohol during a cold, the thermometer readings will rise.
Therefore, it is better not to take risks and not to test the strength of your body. It is much more logical to call a doctor than to try to improve with alcohol.
Exceptions for drinking alcohol for colds.
If the temperature does not exceed 37. 5 ° C, then you can afford to drink alcohol, but only special. This applies to mulled wine. The drink is a wine heated to 70 ° and combined with cinnamon, ginger and cloves. This drink provides the body with useful substances and trace elements, which is important during illness. As for ethyl alcohol, when heated, it practically evaporates, therefore its content in the finished drink is reduced to zero.
If there is temperature, it is better to chill the mulled wine a little.
Beer can be used in place of wine, but the drink must also be heated well so that the ethanol molecules evaporate and add spices. Beer contains vitamin B, vitamin C. But don't get carried away, a glass of mulled wine or beer will be enough.
Basal temperature and alcohol
The basal temperature table is often compiled by women trying to get pregnant. It is easy to track the time of maturation of the ovum, which increases the chances of fertilization. For greater precision, such a graph is fixed for a long time so that all deviations can be traced.
A woman should remember that drinking alcohol can drastically affect her basal temperature. The indicators 37. 1-37. 3 already symbolize that a new life is being born in a woman's body. Drinking alcohol can lead to a false rise in temperature, and the indicators cannot be considered reliable.
Is it possible to combine antipyretic drugs and alcohol?
A sane person understands that no medication should be taken at the same time as drinking alcohol. This also applies to antipyretic drugs. What happens if you drink alcohol and a fever pill? The following complications are possible:
- The probability of side effects increases many times. If it is possible that they do not appear in a sober person, then, in combination with ethanol, the risk increases several times.
- Ethyl alcohol increases the toxic effect of drugs on the liver, believe me, this organ will not thank you for such a gift.
- Even drinking beer during colds and antipyretic therapy is fraught with nausea and vomiting.
How long can you take pills after drinking alcohol? The answer can be the following: not before 4-6 hours, if you had a glass of wine. Naturally, with a large amount of alcohol consumed, the time period must be increased even more.
Complications and consequences of fever after alcohol.
As it turned out, alcohol does not lower the temperature, but raises it. This can have the following disastrous consequences:
- There is a risk of damaging the nervous system.
- Serious, life-threatening dehydration hazard.
- Blood circulation is impaired.
- Jump blood pressure.
- Blood becomes slimy and there is a risk of clots.
Do not postpone calling a doctor if the temperature has not dropped for several days and remains at high levels. This situation becomes dangerous for the work of the whole organism. It is urgently necessary to lower the temperature if:
- Seizures are observed.
- The patient has chronic pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
- There are lung diseases in the diagnosis.
- There are pathologies of the nervous system and mental abnormalities.
- The patient suffers from diabetes mellitus.
It should be borne in mind that the damage can be caused not only by ingested alcohol, but also in the form of rubbing, and this is also often practiced. It is better to entrust the treatment of colds to specialists or proven remedies and not subject your body to further tests.